Villafuerte

Okay of benefits for PH frontliners urged

November 20, 2021 Ryan Ponce Pacpaco 234 views

CAMARINES Sur Rep. LRay Villafuerte has expressed the hope that a measure that aims to provide insurance coverage, special risk allowance and other benefits to health workers would be approved soon enough as an early Christmas gift to the country’s frontliners against coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19).

Villafuerte said the benefits cover both public and private health workers and would be granted to them during the period of the state of national calamity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This measure will ensure that our heroes in the fight against Covid-19 will resume receiving the benefits granted to them under the Bayanihan 2 law, which expired in June,” Villafuerte, principal author in the House of both the Bayanihan 1 and Bayanihan 2 laws, said.

This measure for medical frontliners comprises five bills introduced by Villafuerte and several other lawmakers that were recently approved in principle by the House health committee.

The bills will be consolidated and deliberated upon by a technical working group (TWG).

Once enacted into law, the benefits will be granted to health personnel, including barangay health workers, until September 12, 2022, the end of President Duterte’s proclamation of the state of calamity, unless earlier lifted or extended as circumstances may warrant.

According to reports, data from the Department of Health (DOH) showed that under Bayanihan 2, a total of 475,723 out of more than 526,000 health workers had received special risk allowances from Dec. 20, 2020 to June 30, 2021, amounting to P7.567 billion.

The benefits to be given under the bill to be known as “COVID-19 Benefits for Health Workers Act of 2021” are monthly special risk allowance for all public and private health workers directly catering to or in contact with Covid-19 patients; hazard duty pay for all health workers serving in the front line; and life insurance, accommodation, transportation and meals to all health workers.

Under House Bill (HB) No. 7490, which is among the five bills to be consolidated by the TWG, Villafuerte wants the government to provide hazard pay to all healthcare frontliners, equivalent to at least 30 percent of their respective basic salaries, for the duration of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Villafuerte made sure that the proposed hazard pay will also be given to workers of third-party service contractors like security guards and janitors who are assigned to medical facilities treating coronavirus-infected patients.

He has also filed a related measure, HB 9670, which seeks to amend the existing Magna Carta of Public Health Workers by increasing the rates for their overtime pay and other incentives and benefits.

HB 9670 aims to increase the night shift differential pay of public health workers from 10% to 20% of the regular wage they receive.

The bill also seeks to raise the additional amount they receive for each hour of work performed between 6 PM and 6 AM the following day from 10% to 20% of such overtime rate.

It also provides for a P300 daily subsistence allowance and P10,000 monthly hazard allowance for each public health worker.

These amounts may be increased as may be determined in the future by the Secretary of Health, the bill states.

The laundry allowance of public health workers required to wear uniforms will also be increased from P125 to P500 per month or higher as may be determined in the future by the health secretary, under HB 9670.

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